buteo (hawk) nitidus (bright, shining)
Sunday, April 1, 1984 — 1:00 pm
Patagonia, Arizona — Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Sanctuary
This bird is one of the specialties of the Sanctuary. We first spotted it flying to a perch near the top of a very large, very tall cottonwood in the woods along the creek. We were quite a ways off, but just happened to have a clear view through gaps in the intervening trees. It perched there looking about.
Later on it took off and soared high above. It chased a Red-tailed Hawk, giving a loud “keer-er” call. Still later, we spotted three of them flying high over the woods and surrounding fields.
